Auschwitz

On Thursday we toured Auschwitz. Germany invaded Poland in 1939. Krakow was one of several Polish cities that became an operational base for the Nazis. There were several labor camps in the Jewish ghettos as well as Oskar Schindler’s enamel factory. At the factory site we saw the initial stages of what promises to be an impressive museum of his role in saving Jews both at the Krakow factory and at the “ammunition” factory in Czechoslovakia.

This is outside Oskar Schindler's enamel factory, Krakow



Arbeit Macht Frei (Work Makes You Free) - Auschwitz I

Auschwitz, located about 80 kilometers west of Krakow, was the largest of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps during WWII from 1940-1945. There are nearly 3000 daily visitors to this UNESCO world heritage site (est. 1979).

Auschwitz II - Birkeneau

There were actually 3 camps associated with Auschwitz, and we visited 2 of the 3: Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II -Birkenau. The central location and easy access by train of Auschwitz was a key consideration for the Nazis. They were able to transport Jews, prisoners of all nations, Soviet POWs, gays, and gypsies from all over Europe in cattle rail cars on trips that ranged from a few days to several weeks.

The conditions on those cars were deplorable; no food, no comfort breaks, little fresh air, and over-crowding just to name a few. Many people died during transport.

At Auschwitz, the new arrivals were welcomed by the SS and were calmly told to line up for instructions on how to proceed in their new lives at the camp. Our tour guide, Marta, told stories of how Dr. Mengele would look over each person and, with a flick of his white-gloved hand, sent people “left” (for immediate extermination) or “right” (to the concentration camp). People selected to the left were often weak, ill, or mothers with small children. Those who went to the right appeared strong and able to work.

We toured the buildings at Auschwitz I and saw mounds of evidence of the atrocities. Behind glass (I can’t imagine what the smell would have been like) included original items such as:

1. human hair to be used for material
2. pots and pans brought by prisoners who were mistakenly tricked into believing they would begin new lives at the camp
3. prostheses, canes, and other metal supports for people with disabilities
4. suitcases with people’s names, birthdates, and address. Some suitcases were very small and said KINDER on them.
5. false teeth and eye glasses
6. shoes – of adults and little children

In return, those who were selected for the concentration camp received prison garb consisting of a shirt, pants, cap, and possibly shoes (sometimes mismatched, torn, or poorly fitting). The uniform was the same day in and day out, winter or summer. Prisoners were further identified according to an assigned number, race, etc. by patches affixed to their uniforms.

We saw barracks, torture chambers, shooting walls, and learned about the medical experiments performed on children as well as daily life in the concentration camp.

We also stood in the place where new arrivals (who were selected for immediate extermination) assembled outside and were told to disrobe for a shower. The SS told them to pile their belongings neatly for easy retrieval after the shower. Next we walked into the shower room which was really the gas chamber. I’m not sure, but the room seemed like it was about 40' X 60’...not that big. There were shower fixtures as well as inch-diameter holes in the ceiling where Zyklon B was poured into the chamber. Death was slow and painful, taking nearly 20 minutes. We then walked into the adjacent room, the crematorium, where the bodies were immediately fed into 3 large ovens and burned.

Atrocities like these should never occur again, but they do. Unfortunately, the jump from playground bullying to the abuses at Auschwitz or Abu Ghraib doesn’t take much when mob behavior is at play.

Crematorium








Barracks - the only pictures we were allowed to take inside.








You can see the Jewish Star of David that someone carved near the top of this barrack.




Never forget.